By Justin Rushia
Plattsburgh State men’s lacrosse is ready for the 2025 season with a fresh start, a clear vision, and a committed team.
Under the leadership of first-year head coach Zach Nedbalski, the Cardinals are looking to reestablish a competitive culture and set the foundation for long-term success in the SUNYAC.
“He’s just made it exciting to like to play lacrosse, and I think that’s going to translate how we play our games,” senior midfielder Logan Vilardi said.
Nedbalski, a native of Endicott, New York, has extensive coaching experience at various levels. He spent time in England teaching lacrosse to youth and high school players. He also served as an assistant coach at Randolph-Macon University in Virginia, where he worked under Mike Planholt, now the head coach at Ohio Wesleyan, a consistently top-20 team in NCAA Division III.
Nedbalski was also an assistant coach at Berry College in Rome, Georgia, during his graduate studies after earning his master’s degree. He secured his first head coaching position at Methodist University during its inaugural year of the lacrosse program, effectively building the program from the ground up. He led the team to become conference champions in just four years and coached there for 11 years.
“I want to incorporate what I feel needs to happen to bring back that competitive culture to SUNY Plattsburgh men’s lacrosse,” Nedbalski said. “I know that it takes time. It’s not going to be an overnight change, but I’m excited to be here for the long haul. My last job, I was there for 11 years, and that’s what I’m looking for.”
Having spent much of his career recruiting from all over the country, Nedbalski wants to expand Plattsburgh’s reach and bring in talent from diverse regions.
“I know it’s SUNY Plattsburgh, and it’s a state school, but I’m not opposed to recruiting kids from all over the country,” Nebalski said.
The Cardinals’ roster has seen significant coaching turnover in recent years, with some upperclassmen playing under up to three different head coaches. Despite this, Nedbalski has been impressed by the leadership and resilience of his veteran players.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect from the seniors after so much transition, but they’ve been fantastic,” he said. “They want to win, they want to compete and they’ve embraced the mentality we’re trying to instill.”
That mentality has been evident in preseason practices, where the emphasis has been on efficiency and high energy. Graduate-student attacker Anthony Faber noted a stark difference in how practices are run compared to previous seasons.
“Everything moves so much faster,” senior graduate student Faber said. “We have a plan before we even step onto the field, so we know exactly what we’re doing. Practices are intense, but everyone is positive and locked in. It’s just a completely different vibe.”
This year’s roster features 48 players including graduate students Max Lamitie (Defense) and Faber.
Among the seniors are Brandon Braithwaite (Midfield), Ely Bruhns (Midfield), Jimbo Farrelly (Face-off Specialist), Matt Gannon (Defense), Jab Duval Lapaix (Face-off Specialist), Matt Palmer (Midfield), Kyle Ruland (Long-stick Midfield), Logan Vilardi (Midfield), Ryan Weaver (Attack), Mike Walsh (Attack) and Donald Woods (Midfield).
The junior class includes Joe Barcher (Defense), Lucas Longhitano (Midfield), Jack Mulcahy (Goalie), Kevin Murray (Defense), Tim Keenan (Midfield), George Rhatigan (Midfield) and Connor Vanella (Long-stick Midfield).
The sophomore class features Jake Gipe (Midfield), Jamie Gipe (Midfield/Attack), Dylan Irvine (Attack), Brandon Jaundoo (Midfield), Zachary Nacheman (Goalie), Matt Nystrom (Defense), Cole Orehosky (Goalie), Justin Ortiz (Attack), Dylan Ruland (Attack), Peter Urso (Midfield/Attack), Fynn Whitlock (Defense) and Dylan Zambito (Midfield).
The largest group, the first-year class, includes Michael Ahlstedt (Midfield), Tatum Cipp (Attack), Ray Cullen (Midfield), Aiden Deegan (Face-off Specialist), Logan Drake (Defense), Lucas Drake (Defense), Steven Fenner (Midfield), Ethan Francey (Midfield), James Henningsen (Attack), Noah Hilleboe (Long-stick Midfield), Keith Keiser (Midfield), Gavin McQueeney (Goalie), Owen O’Hara (Face-off Specialist), Brayden Shattuck (Attack), Julian Venable (Long-stick Midfield) and Steven Fenner (Midfield).
“They’re going to have to adjust to the speed of the college game quickly, but they’ve handled everything well so far,” Faber said.
Nebalski’s coaching style has already made a significant impact on his team.
“I’d say it’s creative, and it’s a kind of tough lacrosse. So it’s kind of been interesting to see that it’s a new side of lacrosse that I don’t think a lot of guys on our team have seen,” Vilardi said. “We’re gonna be a lot more fun to watch, and I think we’re gonna be a lot, lot tougher to play.”
Plattsburgh’s off-the-field chemistry is a fundamental aspect of the team’s identity that they take great pride in.
“We like to say that we have the best team environment in DIII lacrosse,” Vilardi said. “Our guys on and off the field are probably hanging out — especially in season for at least 10 hours, 11 hours straight.”
The Cardinals are setting realistic yet ambitious goals for the 2025 season, focusing on rebuilding the program’s competitive foundation. A .500 record would mark a significant step forward for a team looking to regain its footing.
“Our goal, when we talked about it, is to try to get to that .500 record again,” Nebalski said. “I know that doesn’t seem like a lot to accomplish, but when you haven’t done it for a couple of years, to get back to that shows that there is potential for growth here.”
For the players, the mindset is simple: win.
“That’s kind of all we’ve been talking about,” Faber said. “One of the things we’ve been talking about a lot is ‘It pays to be a winner.’”
The Cardinals open their season with a slate of non-conference games, allowing them to fine-tune their approach before SUNYAC play begins.
While Nebalski is focused on evaluating lineups and making adjustments, he also emphasizes the importance of maintaining positive energy and focusing on internal growth.
“We want to celebrate our successes and focus on what we can control,” he said. “If we do the little things right, the results will follow.”
